In representatively illustrated embodiments thereof, this invention provides connector apparatus for telescoped ground engaging wear and support members. The connector apparatus is self-adjusting, to re-tighten the interfit between the wear and support members in response to operational forces imposed on the wear member.
A long standing practice in the ground engaging art is to protect a support member from operational abrasion wear by telescoping a replaceable wear member rearwardly onto a front portion of the support member (typically larger and more expensive than the wear member) to shield the wear member-covered portion of the support member from abrasion when the wear member/support member assembly is utilized in, for example, excavation, earth moving or mining operations. Examples of such telescoped wear member/support member combinations utilized in the ground engaging art include, but are not limited to, tooth point/adapter assemblies, base adapter/intermediate adapter assemblies, and shroud/bucket lip weld base assemblies.
For the wear member portion of the assembly to perform its abrasion shielding function, it must be releasably retained on the support member in a manner such that it will not be dislodged from the support member during ground engaging operations, yet is easily removable from the support member when the wear member is substantially worn away and needs to be replaced with a new wear member. Several well-known problems, limitations and disadvantages are commonly associated with conventional methods and apparatus utilized to retain a wear member on an associated support member.
For example, such retention is often effected using a spool member placed in aligned wear and support openings in the telescoped wear and support members, and a wedge which is then pounded into place in the openings into forcible engagement with the spool to retain the wear member on the support member. This requirement for pounding in a connector member is typically awkward and can sometimes be dangerous. Moreover, pounded-in connector components may be loosened during use of the wear member/support member assembly to an extent that the wear member falls off, becomes lost, and subjects the underlying support member to undesirable wear. Also, such loosening can undesirably permit the wear member to rattle back and forth on the support member. Undesirable loosening of the interfit between the wear and support members may also occur due to internal operational abrasion therebetween, with the pounded-in connector components typically being unsuitable for easily re-tightening this interfit.
As can readily be seen from the foregoing, a need exists for improved wear member/support member connector apparatus that eliminates or at least substantially reduces above-mentioned problems, limitations and disadvantages associated with conventional connector apparatus of the type generally described above. It is to this need that the present invention is primarily directed.
In carrying out principles of the present invention, in accordance with representatively illustrated embodiments thereof, telescoped wear and support members are provided with specially designed self-adjusting connector apparatus that releasably retains the wear member in its rearwardly telescoped orientation on the support member. As will be seen, in representative embodiments thereof the connector apparatus preferably includes cooperating ratchet structures operatively associated with the support and wear members and functioning to automatically tighten an abrasion-created loosened interfit between the wear and support members in response to a rearwardly directed operational force imposed on the wear member.